<p>I was wondering the difference between the SSAT vs National rankings... I'm pretty sure they look at the SSAT percentiles moreso than National because those are the kids you're being compared to, right? </p>
<p>I'm applying to Andover, Choate, and Hotchkiss. However, my recs are expected to be outstanding, I have all A's with a 97%-100% grading scale for an A, lots of EC's (sending in a DVD of my voice recital), outstanding interviews (especially for Choate), (I think) pretty good essays, and a really well-written SSAT essay. Math is my weakest subject, but I still can't believe I got a 65%. Is this enough for even the slightest chance of acceptance? Please be honest. Any advice, opinions, or answers is appreciated. Thank you:)</p>
<p>Don’t feel bad, I got a 44! And yet i got a 96 and 97 on the other sections. Is it possible to still retest? I registered for the January one a few days ago, but I don’t remember if the deadline has passed. Remember, they are looking for reasons to admit you, not reject, and the rest of your app looks wonderful. Keep your chin up, you certainly have wonderful grades and EC’s.</p>
<p>americannigerian, the Math sections were like my worst nightmare lol. And I saw your post, 44 on Math, but like 90 something overall? Lucky! I’m not sure I can resest, because isn’t it past the deadline for the schools to recieve the scores? And I think it may be too late, unless I apply for late registration. I was thinking that maybe I don’t test well, but then on a state test I got 96%??? Thank you for your encouragement, though, when I saw the scores I LITERALLY fell to the floor bawling. Good luck on your app.!</p>
<p>Past the deadline to register? Sure . . . but all that means is paying a late fee! The way they time the release of scores, there’s NO way you could have registered on time. So, if you want to take it again, just pay the higher fee and do it.</p>
<p>As for the schools, many, if not most, will accept any scores that are delivered to them by the end of January. If you’re not sure, check with the schools you’re applying to. There are exceptions, of course . . . some school insist on receiving the scores by the 15th, but most will allow 'til the end of the month.</p>
<p>But please do remember that your scores are a very SMALL piece of the overall application. The schools know that test scores do not tell the whole story . . . that’s what the rest of your application is for.</p>
<p>Thank you dodgersmom! I honestly don’t know if cramming another month for retaking the test will help? Do you think the rest of my app is enough to back me up? I’d rather spend the rest of this time perfecting my essays then cramming… but I’d really like another opinion on this.</p>
<p>To be honest I don’t think one month of consitent studying will qualify as cramming. I’ve contacted some schools and they said the January test will be fine to send in. I think late registration is still an option, but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>americannigerian, I won’t be back from break (in another country…) until the fifth, and by then - well, I don’t know if I could retake it. Good luck if you are, though!</p>
<p>i would advise you guys to not worry about your low SSAT scores. your overall’s aren’t that bad, and bringing back a topic much debated last year, the math scores truly are skewed by international students (such as myself, i admit it), who score almost perfectly on the section, making it increasingly hard to receive a high percentile on it. honestly, you would have a much easier time to just focus on writing truly outstanding essays instead of studying for the SSAT’s another time. :)</p>
<p>@aaralyn - Darn you and your superb smartness! Haha jk jk;) That’s what I’ve been thinking too, to just focus on essays. What schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>@aubreygal; LOL i apologize for being such a typical asian. yeah, focusing on the essays would be a good idea. i’ll be applying to milton, deerfield, hotchkiss, choate, st. paul’s, lawrenceville, and groton (in no particular order). you?</p>
<p>haha I’m only half-Asian (philippines so i’m not sure that even qualifies ahaha) so that must explain for my half-perfect SSAT score i’m applying to andover, hkiss, and choate really should’ve applied to a safety though…but if it doesn’t work out i can always go to the local public school… yay! lol</p>
<p>oh that’s pretty cool. mixes are always cool. i’m 100% chinese and proud of it, i guess. xD yay we’re applying to two of the same schools! (:< i applied to andover last year too, but was rejected and this year i veered away from the huge schools like andover and exeter, but that’s just me. yeah, i wanted to apply to a safety, but my parents’ logic is either a TOP boarding school or we’re moving to a good public school district (we live in china atm). haha it’s alright, public school can’t be that bad. i’m assuming you’re applying for a freshman spot, right?</p>
<p>haha naw, don’t think about it like that. I’m really not that special, and my SSATs are probably the most exciting part of my application - the SSATs really don’t matter than much either. :)</p>
<p>I really don’t think it makes much of a difference, except for the fact that as a second-time applicant I have experience with applying so it won’t be as time consuming and I know how to improve my application better. my chances of being accepted shouldn’t change by much, since even though less people apply, also less students are accepted, so the ratio is about the same. I was actually thinking of applying as a repeat freshmen (december 1997 birthday, so I’m pretty young), but I ended up applying as a sophomore anyway. xD</p>
<p>So, with my score, do you think they’ll be skeptical? Ahh!
& haha that’s what I would do, I mean it’d be like repeating another year of classes (sorta) if you did freshman year again lol</p>
<p>Well, since your overall is an 80%, it shouldn’t be that bad? As long as the rest of your application is strong. :)</p>
<p>haha well not really, since I would just take the next course in my course sequence, so technically I’d have one more year to take advanced courses, but I chose not to repeat for selfish & personal reasons - I don’t want to graduate a year after my friends back at home. xD</p>
<p>**As a “repeat” at an elite BS, don’t expect to be re-doing the academic curriculum for that grade. ** </p>
<p>Likely you will take assessment tests and be placed in the appropriate level course. If anything, being a “repeat” may give you the opportunity to take higher level courses that you may otherwise not have had the opportunity to take until college.</p>
<p>Colleges do not view “repeating” in prep school the same way they view “repeating” in public school</p>
<p>Yup, that’s what I meant by “I would just take the next course in my course sequence, so technically I’d have one more year to take advanced courses”. I already went through the repeating/red-shirting thread on the Prep School Parents forum, and it really helped a lot, though it’s too late to change my decision now. I don’t have any regrets.</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, I just received my test scores too, and I have a 95% in verbal, a 99% in reading comp., and a 65% in math! My overall score was a 90%, but will schools look at specific parts of the SSAT? I am applying to Andover, and their average is a 93%… Please help!</p>
What schools are you applying to?</p>
yeah, focusing on the essays would be a good idea. i’ll be applying to milton, deerfield, hotchkiss, choate, st. paul’s, lawrenceville, and groton (in no particular order). you?</p>
i’m applying to andover, hkiss, and choate 
) but if YOU didn’t get in to andover…who knows what’ll happen with me 
</p>